Sitting, Yoga and Health

Is Sitting Bad For Your Health?

It turns out that that sitting for long periods is linked to all sorts of ailments such as increased rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and even Alzheimer’s.

The research suggests that even if you have a healthy and active lifestyle, it doesn’t counteract these dangers. The Mayo Clinic’s Dr. James Levine says, “the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving.”

Being Active Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive or Complicated

It can be easy and free. You can buy the expensive exercise chairs and computer station treadmills. Or you could simply take a break from your desk for a couple of minutes every hour or so to take a little breather and reconnect with a little yoga.

Whether you believe the studies or not, it’s hard to disagree that taking regular breaks and refreshing yourself with some physical activity is a good idea.

Worried about that others will think you’re a slacker for not being chained to your seat for hours at a time? Tell them you’re being more productive. It’s true. Studies have repeatedly shown that people who take regular breaks outproduce those who don’t.

Take a Stand

If you’re simply not down with shifting your eyes from your screen and stretching out, then try standing.

After the results of my personal experiment, I continue to incorporate standing into my work day by placing my computer on a file box on top of my desk.

When I get tired of standing, I just take the box out and sit down for 10 to 20 minutes and then go back to standing.

If you’re looking for any more incentive to get vertical, consider this: you burn 3 times more calories just by standing instead of sitting.

Take a yoga break. You’ll feel better, be more productive, more relaxed, and much healthier.

Motherhood (and parenthood in general) is not something that can be understood by the mind alone. No amount of reading about parenting in books, listening to experts speak or gaining anecdotal information from other parents, truly prepares us for the lived experience of the beautiful — albeit sometimes difficult — relationship with our children.